The Hermit Card is the tenth card in the 22 trump cards (Major Arcana) and is associated with the number 9. When drawn during a reading, it is usually a sign that the you may find yourself drawing inward during this period and need to take some time alone to perhaps take a break from stress, relationships or even routine to untangle your thoughts, remove yourself from the outside noise, to become more grounded and connected.
At this time and age, millennials for example may be guilty of checking social media/email/text too often which leads to you being too overwhelmed with work. It could also mean that you may be going out too much or spending too much time to take care of someone. The hermit is a symbol of quiet and rest. He represents stepping back and taking a look inward to remind us that looking after your spiritual health and having periods of seclusion can be beneficial to our happiness.
This will help in regaining a better sense of yourself and renew your depleted energies. Most importantly, this sense of peace gives you the ability to get centred enough so that you can sharpen your intuitive skills.
However, this does not mean that it is a period of resting of laurels, laziness or hiding from the world. The Hermit is an active seeker of knowledge and teaches us to look within, to meditate, to reflect, to research, and to keep expanding our understanding of our mission in life.
Everybody has an inner compass but when we are filled with too much noise, we become distracted and sometimes it is hard to decipher the signals. The noise can be muted (pun intended) by doing things that takes your mind off the event. It could be just taking a walk or run, read a book, or meditate. There are people who find a huge difference it makes after meditating as to how it positively impacts their day.
In a relationship reading, this card is not an indicator that love will never happen for you. Instead, The Hermit is telling you to learn to love yourself in solitude during this period of time. Use the time to enjoy your own company, look inwards and discover more about yourself. When we love ourselves fully, we give others permission to love us fully.
If you are in a relationship and you find that your partner is requesting more time on their own, honour their request and give it to them. This does not mean they are giving up on the relationship. It means that they genuinely need some time alone to sort out something in their own minds or just to recharge their batteries.
The special thing about this card is that after a period of being reclusive, period of inspiration and creation will usually come. Great works of art are often produced after the artist recharges him/herself after a period of time.
In short, when you are feeling overwhelmed, take a breather so that you can think more clearly. At times it may feel as if you are alone, ask for help when needed while on your introspective journey.
